At a Glance

Atlanta is a southern city bursting at the borders with history and American heritage. Get to know “The Big Peach” as you explore the best of Atlanta with local experts, from nationally registered historic places like The Swan House, Tullie Smith Farm and the Greek Revival Bulloch Hall, to the High Museum of Art and CNN’s Headquarters in Centennial Olympic Park. Learn about Civil War history from an American History professor and author, visit the Atlanta History Center, delve into the presidency of the 39th president at the Museum of the Jimmy Carter Library and more.

Activity Level

On Your Feet

Walking up to one city block and standing for some museum lectures. Plantation walking on uneven terrain.

Best of all, you'll ...

Enjoy the 19th- and 20th-century American art, European paintings, modern and contemporary art, African American art and more at the High Museum of Art, including works by Cézanne, Degas and van Gogh.

Go behind the scenes at CNN headquarters to learn about the history of CNN News Group networks and see for yourself how news travels through the newsroom to the anchor’s desk.

Explore the National Civil and Human Rights Museum, the “Sweet Auburn” district of the city with visits to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial and historic Ebenezer Baptist Church.

Featured Expert

All Experts

Don Erdman, Jazz

Don Erdman has been active in the Atlanta musical community since 1982. He has toured internationally with Brenda Lee and done regional tours with Johnny Mathis, Lou Rawls, and Steve Lawrence and Edie Gorme. In the late '80s, Don was the featured soloist at a Hamburg, Germany club, opening the door for European and Asian tours with his own band, Hotlanta Dixieland Jazz. Don has studied with jazz greats James Moody and Eddie Daniels.

Don Erdman, Jazz

Guy Stephen Davis

Gail Bell

Linda Randall

Bill Rutan

Suggested Reading List

View 7 books

Where Peachtree Meets Sweet Auburn: A Saga of Race and Family

by Gary M. Pomerantz

A fascinating tale of two cities told through the rise of two of Atlanta's most illustrious political families...highly significant in what it reveals about ambition, hard work, success, and race relations.

Burial for a King

by Rebecca Burns

Remembering Atlanta

by Michael Rose

The City in the Forest, Atlanta was a spot found in the wilderness of north Georgia for the end of a railroad line. It was thought few people would stay here, because most would be passing through to somewhere else. Instead, the people remained and the town grew, growing from Terminus to Marthasville to Atlanta. The city was defined by the rail lines, and for that reason, General William T. Sherman came with the Civil War. After he left the city in ruins, Atlanta rebuilt, rising from the ashes, raising a brave and beautiful city. With a selection of fine historic images from his best-selling book, Historic Photos of Atlanta, Michael Rose provides a valuable and revealing historical retrospective on the growth and development of Atlanta. For a century and a half, Atlanta has been the southern city on the move, a town of railroads, business and trade—putting up and pulling down—airplanes and highways, America’s team and international Olympics. Along the way, professional and amateur photographers have documented Atlanta’s rich visual history. This volume, Remembering Atlanta, presents over 100 images of the city’s past, including views of its streets, the people who called it home, and the life, look, and feel of Atlanta.

Gone With The Wind

by Margaret Mitchell

Since its original publication in 1936, Gone With the Wind—winner of the Pulitzer Prize and one of the bestselling novels of all time—has been heralded by readers everywhere as The Great American Novel.
Widely considered The Great American Novel, and often remembered for its epic film version, Gone With the Wind explores the depth of human passions with an intensity as bold as its setting in the red hills of Georgia. A superb piece of storytelling, it vividly depicts the drama of the Civil War and Reconstruction.
This is the tale of Scarlett O’Hara, the spoiled, manipulative daughter of a wealthy plantation owner, who arrives at young womanhood just in time to see the Civil War forever change her way of life. A sweeping story of tangled passion and courage, in the pages of Gone With the Wind, Margaret Mitchell brings to life the unforgettable characters that have captured readers for over seventy years.

Images of America - Atlanta's Ebenezer Baptist Church

by Benjamin C. Ridgeway

Courage to Dissent: Atlanta and the Long History of the Civil Rights Movement

by Tomiko Brown-Nagin

The Civil Rights movement that emerged in the United States after World War II was a reaction against centuries of racial discrimination. In this sweeping history of the Civil Rights movement in Atlanta--the South's largest and most economically important city--from the 1940s through 1980, Tomiko Brown-Nagin shows that the movement featured a vast array of activists and many sophisticated approaches to activism. Long before "black power" emerged and gave black dissent from the mainstream civil rights agenda a new name, African Americans in Atlanta debated the meaning of equality and the steps necessary to obtain social and economic justice.
This groundbreaking book uncovers the activism of visionaries--both well-known legal figures and unsung citizens--from across the ideological spectrum who sought something different from, or more complicated than, "integration." Local activists often played leading roles in carrying out the integrationist agenda of the NAACP, but some also pursued goals that differed markedly from those of the venerable civil rights organization. Brown-Nagin discusses debates over politics, housing, public accommodations, and schools. She documents how the bruising battle over school desegregation in the 1970s, which featured opposing camps of African Americans, had its roots in the years before Brown v. Board of Education.

Atlanta: Then and Now

by Michael Rose

Atlanta Then and Now is a captivating chronicle of history and change since the dawn of the camera age. It pairs historic photographs, many over a century old, with specially commissioned views of the same scene as it exists today showing the evolution of Atlanta.

Afternoon: Program Registration. After you have your room assignment, come to the Road Scholar table in the lobby to register with the program staff and get your welcome packet containing your name-tag, up-to-date schedule that reflects any last-minute changes, other important information, and to learn when and where the Orientation session will take place. If you arrive late, please ask for your packet when you check in.

Dinner: At the hotel, we’ll enjoy a buffet dinner with coffee, tea and water; other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: Orientation. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. Periods in the daily schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.

DAY

2

Civil War History, Atlanta History Center, Swan House, GWTW

Atlanta, Georgia

B,L,D

Hyatt Place Buckhead Atlanta

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach. Walking between homes and Atlanta History Center approximately 500 yards; paved and unpaved pathways.

Morning: We’ll be joined by a local expert whose field of specialization is the American Civil War for a presentation. Our expert taught American History and Government at Oglethorpe University and is the author of numerous publications on the Civil War. We will then have an expert led field trip to the Atlanta History Center and the historic Swan House, listed on the National Register of Historic Places and an Atlanta landmark. The Swan House, built in 1928 for Edward and Emily Inman, heirs to a cotton brokerage fortune, was designed by well-known and influential Atlanta architect Philip Trammell Shutze. We will also have access to a farm house built in the 1840s by the Robert Smith family. Tullie Smith Farm is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Originally located east of Atlanta, outside the city limits, the house survived the near-total destruction of Atlanta in 1864. The farm complex was moved to the Atlanta History Center's campus in 1969 and serves as a tangible reminder of the rural past in a metropolitan area where agriculture has essentially disappeared.

Lunch: At the historic Swan Coach House, we’ll have a plated lunch. Prior to relocating to its current location, the Foundation members had to remodel and enlarge the building that once served as the carriage house.

Afternoon: During our expert led field trip to the Swan House, we will be able to explore many of the rooms of this beautifully restored historic home including the entrance, breakfast room and hall, library, living room, dining room, kitchen, butler's pantry, Mrs. Inman's bedroom and bathroom, grandchildren's bedroom, guest bedroom, and Mr. Inman's bedroom. Additionally, a stroll around the grounds of the Swan House will offer many breathtaking views complete with gardens and fountains. The Swan House was the setting for the Hunger Games for a recent filming. Discover life on a typical yeomen farm in Antebellum Georgia on a self led visit to the Tullie Smith Farm House. Enjoy heritage vegetables and field crops in period gardens and see the wide variety of plants beloved by today's Atlantans.

Dinner: At a popular local restaurant across the street from the hotel, we’ll have a buffet meal with coffee, tea and water; other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: An expert from the Atlanta History Center will join us to discuss one of the most famous books in American history — “Gone With The Wind” — and share information about its author, Margaret Mitchell. We read its expression of what has been called the personification of Southern romanticism differently today. But since its publication in 1936 and the movie version in 1939, GWTW has kept its place in the popular imagination.

Morning: We will make our way to CNN headquarters in downtown Atlanta for an expert-led field trip that will provide an inside look at the history of the CNN News Group networks, their coverage of the events that shape our world, and the state-of-the-art studios responsible for bringing the news to more than 1 billion people around the globe. We will see actually see news travel though the newsrooms of CNN and Headline News on its way to the anchor's desk where it is delivered live right before our eyes. We’ll then board a motorcoach and ride to the Carter Center.

Lunch: At the Carter Center, we’ll have a buffet lunch.

Afternoon: At the Carter Center, a member of the staff will provide insights into the Center's commitment to human rights and the alleviation of human suffering in the world. The Carter Center, in partnership with Emory University, is a non-governmental organization working to improve the lives of people in more than 80 countries by resolving conflicts; advancing democracy and human rights; preventing diseases; and improving mental health care. We’ll then have an expert-led exploration of the museum of the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library. We’ll be able to see photographs and historical memorabilia from the Carter presidency (1976-81), an exact replica of the Oval Office, and gifts received by the Carters. The permanent exhibit of significant events during Jimmy Carter's life and political career includes photographs with interpretative text as well as the Nobel Peace Prize he received in 2002 “for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” Next, we’ll explore more of Atlanta with a local expert who grew up here. We’ll see the Martin Luther King Memorial and historic Ebenezer Baptist Church with commentary by our expert.

Dinner: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. The hotel has a limited menu in the lobby area and there are many restaurants within walking distance. The hotel shuttle will take anywhere within a 2-mile radius.

Evening: At leisure. Enjoy the evening on your own or with newfound friends.

Morning: We’ll begin the day with a field trip to Bulloch Hall, a Greek Revival mansion in Roswell, Georgia, built in 1839. It is one of several historically significant buildings in the city and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This is where Martha Bulloch Roosevelt, mother of Theodore Roosevelt, 26th U.S. President, lived as a child. It is also where she married Theodore Roosevelt's father, Theodore Roosevelt, Sr. We’ll have a docent presentation followed by exploring the house. After visiting Bulloch Hall, we will travel to the Atlanta Botanical Garden for lunch at the gardens.

Lunch: At Atlanta Botanical Garden.

Afternoon: Covering more than 30 acres in the heart of the city, the Atlanta Botanical Garden is an island of horticultural delights. In addition to beautifully designed display gardens and woodlands, highlights include a 6,000 square foot orchid center, a conservatory with frequently changing displays, a tropical rotunda, a desert house, an outdoor collection with rose and hydrangea gardens, an edible garden, a children’s garden, a Japanese garden, and much more including water features and sculpture. We’ll have an expert-led exploration followed by independent time to see what you like at your own pace.

Dinner: At a popular local restaurant, we’ll have a plated meal with coffee, tea and water; other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: Two talented jazz musicians will join us to discuss the history of jazz and play selections to enhance their presentation.

DAY

5

High Museum, Free Time, Atlanta Performing Arts

Atlanta, Georgia

B,L,D

Hyatt Place Buckhead Atlanta

Activity note: On/off motorcoach. Walking at High Museum between three floors; elevators available.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: A guest speaker from the Atlanta History Center will give us a presentation on the Civil War, the burning of Atlanta, and the new Atlanta of today. We’ll depart via motorcoach for a field trip to the High Museum of Art, founded in 1905 as the Atlanta Art Association, and now the leading art museum in the southeastern U.S. Located in Atlanta’s Midtown arts and business district, the High has more than 11,000 works of art in its permanent collection. The Museum has an extensive anthology of 19th- and 20th-century American art; significant holdings of European paintings and decorative art; a growing collection of African American art; and burgeoning collections of modern and contemporary art, photography and African art. We are privileged to be able to view the private collection of Henry and Rose Pearlman that includes an outstanding selection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works by artists such as Cézanne, Degas, van Gogh, Manet, Pissarro, Gauguin, and Modigliani. Following an introduction by a museum docent, we’ll have a self-directed exploration to see what interests each of us most. We’ll re-group at an appointed time to re-board the motorcoach.

Lunch: We’ll have box lunches with a sandwich, fruit, cookie, and water.

Afternoon: Free Time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. The motorcoach will drop off at Pemberton Place where the World of Coca Cola, the Georgia Aquarium, and the museum of the Center for Civil and Human Rights are all located. The motorcoach will pick up at the same spot at 4:30 p.m. Remember that the hotel shuttle will take you to any location within a 2-mile radius, which includes the Atlanta History Center for those who would like to return and have more time exploring the exhibits.

Dinner: At one of the city's premiere Southern restaurants, we’ll have a plated meal with beverage choices of coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: LUZIA is a Cirque du Soleil touring production which premiered on April 21, 2016 in Montreal, Canada. LUZIA takes you to an imaginary Mexico, like in a waking dream, where light (“luz” in Spanish) quenches the spirit and rain (“lluvia”) soothes the soul. With a surrealistic series of grand visual surprises and breathtaking acrobatic performances, LUZIA cleverly brings to the stage multiple places, faces and sounds of Mexico taken from both tradition and modernity. Event will be under the Big Top at the Atlantic Station, a major event for Atlanta.

DAY

6

Presentation, Program Concludes

Atlanta, Georgia

B

Activity note: Hotel check-out by 12:00 Noon.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: We’ll have a final presentation by a guest speaker on topics of current interest. This concludes our program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Please join our Facebook page and share photos of your program. Visit us at www.facebook.com/rsadventures. Best wishes for all your journeys!

Meals

13 Meals

5 Breakfasts

4 Lunches

4 Dinners

The following choices may be available when requested in advance: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Lodging

Lodgings may differ by date. Select a date to see the lodgings specific to that date.

The Hyatt Place is an exciting and innovative new select service hotel offering more of what is important to today's travelers. Our guests enjoy a spacious guestroom with a 42" high-definition flat panel television, our signature Hyatt Grand Bed, a plush Cozy Corner oversized sofa sleeper that is separated from the sleeping area, and complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi internet access throughout the hotel. The innovation extends beyond the guestroom. The Gallery is a warm and open area that features a self-registration kiosk, an intimate coffee and wine café, a TV den and an e-room with free access to a public computer and printer. Guests at Hyatt Place will also enjoy a continental breakfast each morning and can purchase freshly prepared menu items 24 hours a day. Premium espresso drinks, beer and wine are also available at the Gallery Café. Hyatt Place does not accept pets. Service animals are always welcome.

This was my first Road Scholar experience, but it will definitely NOT be my last. Everything went exactly as described in the brochure. Our leader was delightful and knowledgeable and the accommodations were just right. Even the weather was perfect! We were treated to Atlanta's famed southern hospitality at its best. I highly recommend this trip.